Raspberry Chocolate Meringue Icebox Cake

4 lg Egg whites

1/4 ts Cream of tartar

1 1/2 c Sugar

2 3/4 c Heavy cream

6 oz Fine quality bittersweet

-chocolate (not unsweetened) 1 1/2 ts Unflavored gelatin

3 tb Cold water

1 1/2 c Sour cream

1 ts Vanilla

3 pt Fresh raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 250F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

and trace 3 8-inch circles onto the paper. 2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with cream of

tartar and add a pinch of salt until they just hold soft peaks. Add 1 cup sugar gradually, beating, and beat meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4 inch plain tip and pipe onto circles, filling them in. Smooth meringues with a long metal spatula or knife. Alternatively, if pastry bag isn`t used, circles may be made by spreading meringues freehanded with spatula. 3. Bake meringues 30 minutes and switch positions of baking sheets in

oven. Bake meringues 30 minutes more, or until pale golden and crisp. (If the weather is humid, cooking time may be longer.) Cool meringues completely and peel off paper. Meringues may be made 1 day ahead and kept in turned-off oven. 4. In a saucepan, bring 1/4 cup heavy cream just to a boil and remove

from heat. Add chocolate and stir mixture until chocolate is melted completely. Divide ganache between 2 meringue layers and gently spread evenly, leaving 1/2 inch borders. Chill ganache until hardened, about 10 minutes.

5. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water and soften 1 min.

Heat mixture over low heat, stirring until gelatin is dissolved, and keep warm. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat remaining 2 1/2 cups heavy cream with remaining 1/2 cup sugar until it just holds stiff peaks and then beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add gelatin mixture in a stream, beating, and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks. 6. Arrange 1 ganache-topped meringue on a plate and spread it with

1 1/2 cups cream mixture, mounding it at the edge. Arrange 1 pint of

raspberries over the cream mixture and top with the second ganache- topped meringue. Repeat procedure with about 1 1/2 cups more cream mixture and another pint of raspberries and top with the third meringue. 7. Transfer about 1 cup more cream mixture to a pastry bag fitted with

the star tip and reserve for decoration. Frost top and side of cake with remaining cream mixture and decorate with reserved mixture. Chill cake for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Remove wax paper carefully and scatter remaining pint of raspberries around and on the cake. Cut into 12 wedges with a serrated or electric knife.